onulak



March 24, 1964 E. W. ONULAK FEED Filed April '7, 1961 IN VEN TOR. Eef/v5 W ONM/9K FIGB ATTORN EYS United States Patent lO 3,126,138 FEED Eugene W. Onulak, Huntington, Ind., assignor to The Locke Steel Chain Company, Huntington, Ind., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 101,555 2 Claims. (Cl. 226-151) The present invention relates to feeding devices and particularly to a new and improved sheet metal feeding device in which a reciprocable head is provided with a plurality of feeding blades adapted simultaneously to act on the sheet metal stock.

An important object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal feeding device of simple construction for feeding sheet metal stock to a punch press or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device in which a substantially low-unit feeding force is exerted on the stock so as to reduce to a minimum any marks on the stock produced by the normal functioning of the feeding device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a feeding device in which a plurality of feeding blades are employed which simultaneously engage the stock at the beginning of a feeding stroke, and simultaneously release the stock at the beginning of a return or non-feeding stroke.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a feeding device in which the feeding of the stock will not be interrupted by irregularities in the surface of the stock.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a stock feeding device in which stationary, similarly designed blade means may be employed to prevent movement of the stock in a direction opposite to that in which it is being fed during the return stroke of the feeding blades.

In one aspect of the invention, a reciprocable feeding head may comprise a relatively large passage means therethrough, including a bottom flat surface adapted slidingly to support the sheet metal stock adapted to be fed. The Width of the passage may be greater than the transverse dimension of the stock for freely receiving the same.

In another aspect of the invention, a plurality yof parallel arranged pockets may be provided in the top surface of the passage means that open downwardly toward the bottom surface thereof. These pockets may extend throughout substantially the width of the head, and each may support a pintle pin therein.

In Istill another aspect of the invention, a 4feeding blade may be pivotally mounted on each pintle and may include a lower end stock-engaging portion that is normally spaced from the bottom at surface of the head a distance less than the thickness of stock to be fed when `the blades are in a vertical position.

In still another aspect of the invention, separate resilient means may be provided in each pocket for acting on its respective blade for normally urging it toward a vertical position `so that each blade acts to feed the Stock independently of every other blade.

ln st-ill another aspect of the invention, a connecting rod may be connected to the head for imparting to it a reciprocating motion.

In still another aspect of the invention, a stationary, similarly designed blade means may be arranged so that the stock to be -fed passes through it and beneath blade means therein that are arranged so that as the reciprocating feeding head travels along -its non-feeding stroke, the stock will be prevented from movement therewith.

The above, other objects and advantages of the stock ice feeding head will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing which -is merely exemplary.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a feeding device to which the principles of the invention have been applied;

FIG. 2 -is a view similar to FIG. 1 -in which the stock is fed in a direction opposite to that of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Referring to 4the drawing, and particularly to FIG. 1, the principles of the invention are Ashown as applied to a stock feeding device including a head 10 of generally rectangular cross section. The head 10 may include a passage means 11 of a Width suilicient to receive the stock to be fed, and may extend completely therethrough. The passage means 11 may include a flat bottom surface 12 for slidingly supporting `the sheet metal stock 13 to be fed. The passage means 11 may also include separate pockets 14, 15 and 16 formed in the top surface 17 of the passage means 11, and extending between the side walls 18 and 19 (FIG. 3) of head 10. It is not absolutely necessary to include the pocket means.

-Pintle pins 20 may extend between side walls 1-8 and 19, within each ofthe pockets 14, 15 and 1'6, and the pins 20 may be arranged in parallel relation. A feeding blade 21 may be journaled on each pin 20 or fixed thereto, depending upon whether the pins 20 are fixed or journale-d in the -side walls 18 and 19. Each blade 21 may be provided With a curved lower surface 22 for engagi-ng t-he stock 13 along a line contact, and the length of each blade 21 may be such that when it is in a vertical position, its lower end is spaced lfrom surface v12 a distance less than the thickness of the stock 13.

Referring to FIGS. l .and 2, each blade 2-1 may include a notch 23 offset from the axial centerline of the pintle 20. `One or more `compression springs 24 may be prolvided between the top of the head 10 and a -shoulder formed by the notch 23 for resiliently urging the blade 21 toward a vertical position. Each of the blades 21 is provided with its separate resilient means, so that each blade acts independently of all others.

A .boss 25 may be mounted on Ithe top of the head 10 and lit may include a pin 26 that passes through a connecting rod 27 which latter may be connected to a reciprocating means.

lIn FIG. 1, the stock 1-3 is kshown as being fed left- Wardly by the pushing stroke of the reciprocating connect-ing rod 27; while FIG. 2A discloses :the feeding of the stock 13 by the pulling stroke of the rod 27.

Referring to FIG. l, a head 28 of identical construction .as head 10 may lbe stationarily mounted in alignment with the head 10 and may include passage means 29 for receiving the stock 13. Blades 30 similar to blades 21 may be journaled on pins 31 and the blades 21 may be resiliently urged into effective position relative to the stock 413 -by springs `32,. Since the head 28 is stationary, blades 30 permit movement of the stock 13 leftwardly when the head 10 is moved leftwardly dur-ing a feeding stroke, and prevent the stock 13 from moving rightwardly when the head 10 is moved rightwardly during a nonfeeding stroke.

In the same way, stationary head 28 (FIG. 2) permits movement of the stock 13y during a rightward feeding stroke of head 10 and prevents leftward movement of stock 113 during a leftward non-feeding stroke of head 101.

Although the various features of the new and improved stock feeding device have been shown and described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of Ithe invention, it will be evident that changes may be made in such details and certain features may be used without others without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. 'In a stock feeding device, a reciproeable body member having four walls forming a passage extending therethrough for the reception of stock to be fed, the bottom wall of said member forming a at internal passage surface for slidingly receiving stock to be fed; a plurality of parallel and longitudinally spaced pockets -formed in the top Wall of said members; an element independently pivotally mounted within each of said pockets and having a curved surface for engaging said stock; and resilient means Within each pocket biasing each of said curved surfaces about the pivotal axis of the respective element toward a stock engaging position, each pivotable element dependently mounted to extend across said passage to engage Ithe stock at a slight angle from the vertical, with each element assuming its own angle depending upon the thickness of such stock at the particular line of contact.

2. In a stock feeding device, a reciprocable body member having fou-r Walls forming a passage extending therethrough for the reception of stock to be ted, the bottom wall of said member forming a at internal passage surface for slidingly receiving stock to be fed; a plurality of parallel and longitudinally spaced pockets formed in the top wall of said members; an element independently pivotally mounted Within each of said pockets and having a curved surface for engaging said stock; resilient means Within each pocket biasing each of said curved surfaces about the pivotal axis of the respective element toward a stock engaging position, each pivotable element dependently mounted to extend across said passage to engage the stock at a slight angle from the vertical, with each element 'assuming its own angle `depending upon the thickness of such stock at the particular line of contact; a stationarily mounted second body member having passage means aligned with the passage means of said first body member; a plurality of parallel disposed pockets formed in the top Wall of said second member; an element pivotally mounted within each of the pockets within said second member; and separate means for urging the corresponding element within said second member into stock engaging position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A STOCK FEEDING DEVICE, A RECIPROCABLE BODY MEMBER HAVING FOUR WALLS FORMING A PASSAGE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH FOR THE RECEPTION OF STOCK TO BE FED, THE BOTTOM WALL OF SAID MEMBER FORMING A FLAT INTERNAL PASSAGE SURFACE FOR SLIDINGLY RECEIVING STOCK TO BE FED; A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL AND LONGITUDINALLY SPACED POCKETS FORMED IN THE TOP WALL OF SAID MEMBERS; AN ELEMENT INDEPENDENTLY PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITHIN EACH OF SAID POCKETS AND HAVING A CURVED SURFACE FOR ENGAGING SAID STOCK; AND RESILIENT MEANS WITHIN EACH POCKET BIASING EACH OF SAID CURVED SURFACES ABOUT THE PIVOTAL AXIS OF THE RESPECTIVE ELEMENT TOWARD A STOCK ENGAGING POSITION, EACH PIVOTABLE ELEMENT DEPENDENTLY MOUNTED TO EXTEND ACROSS SAID PASSAGE TO ENGAGE THE STOCK AT A SLIGHT ANGLE FROM THE VERTICAL, WITH EACH ELEMENT ASSUMING ITS OWN ANGLE DEPENDING UPON THE THICKNESS OF SUCH STOCK AT THE PARTICULAR LINE OF CONTACT. 